Lepanto Employees Union to select new officers

MANKAYAN, Benguet — Following the lifting of the 101-day labor strike at the Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company (LCMCo) here, the mineworkers are preparing to elect their new set of union officers to replace the19 officers who made the ultimate sacrifice of accepting their severance from work to preserve the union.

At least two groups of candidates will run for election for the executive committee and board of directors of the Lepanto Employees Union-National Federation of Labor Union-Kilusang Mayo Uno (LEU-NAFLU-KMU).

According to Ninian Lang-agan, the outgoing president of the LEU-NAFLU-KMU, the union has chosen its line up to fill up the positions the dismissed officers vacated. The management is expected to field its candidates but LEU is equally determined to maintain its leadership.

Lang-agan said that the people they are choosing to lead the union in the next three years have passed the union’s criteria of a “good leader”. He added that these leaders have showed commitment and leadership for the union, especially during the strike.

The union submitted a Notice of Election to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on October 1, 2005. Applicants filed their candidacy on October 3 from 4. Campaign period will be from The contenders will be allowed to campaign from October 5 to 7. The election proper is scheduled on October 8.

The local election serves as consolidating activity for workers to display and strengthen their unity on worker’s rights. Along with the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and Certification Election, the local election is one of the union tools to assert their collective rights and an exercise of union democracy.